Mervi Issakainen
Senior Researcher
Law School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
[email protected] | +358 50 331 2534
I work as a senior researcher in social psychology, with a particular interest in health and well-being issues. I have explored young people’s distress in relation to cultural conceptions of depression, and the experiences, life situations and rights of people with mild cognitive impairment or early onset dementia in working age. I am currently involved in research projects on the well-being and rights of older people, people living with dementia and people living with epilepsy. In the project Access to justice for marginalized groups of older people in aging society (AMIS; 2023–2027), funded by the Research Council of Finland, I lead a work package focusing on the mental health challenges of older people.
Research groups
Projects
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Safeguarding welfare in times of pandemics Finished 01.01.2022 - 31.12.2024 -
Access to justice for marginalized groups of older people in aging society 01.09.2023 - 31.12.2027 -
OBaMa - Overcoming Barriers for Participation 01.01.2025 - 31.12.2030 -
Working Life and Memory Impairment - Mental Wellbeing, Legal Security and Occupational Capacity of People with Early Onset Dementia -
Dementia or MCI @ work in progress Finished 01.09.2018 - 31.08.2022 -
Realization of the rights of people with epilepsy in the welfare state 01.01.2023 - 01.01.2033 -
Shadows in Paradise? Rights of People with Dementia in a Welfare State Finished 01.01.2022 - 31.12.2025
Publications
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Access to Justice: An Empirical Study on the Lived Experiences of Older Immigrants in Finland
Berg, Alex; Issakainen, Mervi; Ervasti, Kaijus; Montonen, Tero; Solje, Eino; Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Anna, 2026, Retfærd, 49, 1, 4-23. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Access to rights through relations: Older home care clients’ experiences in Finland
Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Anna; Ristolainen, Hanna; Issakainen, Mervi; Tiilikainen, Elisa, 2026, Onati socio-legal series, 16, 4, 1820-1843. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Barriers to Recognition in the Lives of People with Epilepsy: A Socio-Legal Perspective
Järvinen, Iina; Teerikangas, Minni; Issakainen, Mervi; Ervasti, Kaijus, 2026, European journal of empirical legal studies, 3, 1, 1-18. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Epilepsiaa sairastavien kokemuksia työelämän ongelmista Suomessa ja Ruotsissa
Ervasti, Kaijus; Lönnroth, Marja; Teerikangas, Minni; Kujansuu, Enna; Issakainen, Mervi, 2026, Epilepsia-lehti, 56, 1, 8–9. E1 Popularised article, newspaper article -
From management to prolongation – Narratives of vulnerability from people living in Finland during the COVID-19 pandemic
Issakainen, Mervi; Tiilikainen, Elisa; Ervasti, Kaijus; Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Anna, 2026, Social sciences & humanities open, 14, 103315. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Muistisairaiden ihmisten, heidän läheistensä ja sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon ammattilaisten kokemukset ohjauksesta ja neuvonnasta
Savonen, Jenni; Issakainen, Mervi; Nikumaa, Henna; Heimonen, Sirkkaliisa; Näkki, Kaisa; Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Anna; Ervasti, Kaijus, 2026, Gerontologia, 40, 1, 36-52. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Oikeuksiin pääsy demokraattisessa oikeusvaltiossa
Ervasti, Kaijus; Järvinen, Iina; Nikumaa, Henna; Issakainen, Mervi, 23.02.2026, OBaMa-blogi. E1 Popularised article, newspaper article -
Older Immigrants’ Experiences of Social Exclusion in Finland
Berg, Alex; Issakainen, Mervi; Montonen, Tero; Ervasti, Kaijus; Solje, Eino; Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Anna, 2026, Journal of population ageing, [Epub ahead of print 23 Apr 2026], 1-23. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Problems in Social and Health Care Services of People with Dementia in Finland: Formal Rights and Lived Experiences of Access to Justice in a Welfare State
Gadd, Katri; Teerikangas, Minni; Savonen, Jenni; Issakainen, Mervi; Nikumaa, Henna; Ervasti, Kaijus; Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Anna; Solje, Eino, 2026, Journal of Finnish studies, 28, 2, 1-19. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
The impacts of a driving ban: A socio-legal empirical analysis of the everyday experiences of people living with epilepsy in Finland
Lönnroth, Marja; Järvinen, Iina; Teerikangas, Minni; Issakainen, Mervi; Tiilikainen, Elisa; Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Anna; Ervasti, Kaijus, 2026, Onati socio-legal series, [Published 08-07-2026], 1-24. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research

